Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Two words that normally don't go together...breakfast and cookies! I was excited to make these treats, which were chosen by What's for Supper? as this weeks CEiMB recipe. My hopes were high after reading the reviews on the FoodNetwork website (a five star rating is usually a good sign).

I made a few changes so that I could incorporate ingredients I already had on hand (or flavors I prefer), none of which should have had much of an effect on the final product:

1 tsp cinnamon & 1/2 tsp nutmeg -----> 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup carrot baby food ----> 1/4 cup applesauce

1 tsp vanilla ----> 1/2 tsp vanilla & 1/2 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup oats & 1/2 cup bran cereal ----> 1 cup oats

1/3 cup raisins ----> 2/3 cup fresh blueberries

1/3 cup walnuts ----> 1/3 cup almonds

The result? I'm not sure what I think...I've eaten a few of them and they definitely aren't bad, but I'm not about to add them as a regular to my breakfast menu. They aren't decadent enough to qualify as a dessert (but they really aren't supposed to be), and they aren't good enough to replace the usual things I eat for breakfast (oatmeal with fruit and nuts, English muffins with pb, smoothies, yogurt, etc).

That being said, I am not an on-the-go breakfast eater. I have time in the mornings to think about what I want to have for my first meal and then make/eat it at my leisure.

In contrast, I'm sure most of you, if you are lucky, grab something quickly while rushing out the door on your way to school or work...or you drive-thru Starbucks/McDonalds...or you skip breakfast entirely. So maybe this would be a good option for you! They are relatively healthy after all...and if you add a glass of milk or a tall latte for a little extra protein, even better.

Notes - Whole wheat pastry flour is something I keep on hand to bake with...it is less processed than AP flour (so it has more of the natural fiber/vitamins/minerals) but is "softer" than regular whole wheat flour (so your baked goods aren't so dense)...I know you can find it at Whole Foods or order it online, but I bet Fresh Market carries it and maybe some locally owned grocers do too (Rouses? Acquistapace's in Covington? Calandro's in Baton Rouge?); I love using my (small) ice cream scoop for portioning cookies and cupcakes; If you use fresh berries like I did, fold them in VERY gently at the end

My thoughts - Mostly, I've already told you what I think of these, but here's a little more...they are slightly sweet, cake-like cookies packed with healthy fats (nuts and canola) and some whole-grains and fruit...might be perfect for a quick grab-and-go breakfast (after they bake, store them in a zip-top bag in the freezer and when ready to eat, pop them in the microwave for about 45 seconds); the serving is one cookie (for around 200 calories), but I would be tempted to eat 2 (plus a glass of milk - can you really have cookies without milk?)...and for some people, a 400+ calorie breakfast might be too much; and just as a comparison, a whole wheat English Muffin plus 1 tbsp peanut butter = 230 calories, 9.5 g fat (2 g saturated), 30 g carbohydrates, 4 - 5 g fiber, 10 g protein

9 comments:

They are definitely a healthy option for anyone on the go. I did have one for breakfast this morning, but I don't think it would be enough for me each morning. They were better than I thought they'd be, though. Yours look good with the blueberries. P.S. The recipe was chosen by What's for Supper. :o)

I really enjoy your blog, and I love your ideas and information you provide! I am not a blogger, but I love cooking and baking healthy too, so I found you on the CEIMB site.

Anyway, I made these cookies yesterday, and I did follow the recipe as shown (other than adding pumpkin pie spice in place of cinnamon and nutmeg) and I thought they were quite tasty. I am only being honest when I say, I think your changes would quite significantly change the taste of the cookie. The fresh blueberries alone would add an entirely different dimension to this recipe. Omitting the bran flakes is big too...and walnuts and almonds are two very different nuts...carrots over applesauce is different too...anyway, I think my point is that it's hard to make a fair assessment on a "recipe" when you have made like 6 changes to the original.

I'm not saying that the original recipe was mind blowing or anything, but as a reader, I dont think that your assessment was a fair one with the changes you made. The cookies I made don't look (and I'm sure taste) like the ones you are presenting.

Love your blog...just wanted to put my two cents in...keep up the great work!!!

Let me clarify if I was confusing...I didn't say that these were bad! I said that I would prefer to have my regular breakfast instead...pb on an English muffin or a banana smoothie is way better (for me) than 1 cookie for roughly the same amount of calories.

Your cookies look great and I bet they were good with the blueberries. I am more of a grab and go breakfast eater, and it was a fun treat having a cookie as a breakfast, and especially fun to not feel bad about having a cookie for breakfast! :)

I'm with you on the opinion of what breakfast should be. But the cookies might be a good "road food" if leaving on a trip really early or, as you said "grab-and-go". As for the 1 cup of oats, I added that much and thought my cookies were too dry because of it. But because I added 2 scoops of protein powder, I'm thinking the oats should have remained at 1/2c. Anyway - love the blueberry idea.

It must be nice to have the opportunity to make breakfast at your leisure. I feel like if I had that opportunity though, I'd probably eat a lot more eggs/French toast/pancakes/bagels w/cream cheese and other such things that I generally shouldn't be eating.

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A little bit about me...

I am originally from Covington, Louisiana. I graduated from Louisiana State University (Geaux Tigers!) with a BS in dietetics, a minor in dance,and an MS in Human Nutrition and Food. I was an LSU Golden Girl from 2000 - 2005. Obviously I love nutrition and love to dance. After graduation I moved to Houston where I worked as a dancer and dietitian. Twice a week I worked as a Nutrition Coach at Life Time Fitness...the other days I was dancing for the Houston Metropolitan Dance Company. Now I'm back in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...always looking forward to football season! I teach dance for the LSU Dance Department and Tari's School of Dance. I am the choreographer for the New Orleans Saintsations. I love food, cooking, collecting recipes/cookbooks/food magazines...and now I will share this passion with you!